Fire-escape.



"M. J. LIFSHITZ.

v FIRE ESGAPB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1908.

932,793. 7 PatentedAug.3l,1909.

WITNESSES: M WM IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

uurrnn STATES rATENT orroni.

MORRIS J. LIFSHITZ, OF HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 30, 1908. Serial No. 424,007.

capes, of which the following is a specifica-' tion, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

-My invention relates to new and. useful improvements in fire escapes having for its object, among other things, to provide a defor escape from a building in case of'fire, that may be readily fixed in position for use, and when not in use may be folded into a neat and compact mass that will occupy the minimum space.

To these, and other ends, my invention folded and not in use; Fig. 3 is an enlarged;

section upon lineA-B of Fig. 1 showing the window frame and the parts of my improved fire escape connected therewith; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the bottom end of one of the chute sections; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the frame; and 6'is an enlarged sectional plan view thereof upon line CD of Fig. 5.

In the practice of my invention I provide a metal frame 1, shown in the drawings as being rectangular, but may be made-of any other desired shape, having a lip 2 upon one side thereof, through which is slidable the tongue 4, and attached thereto are the gripping arms 33. The chute is made of canvas, or other flexible material, in sections, the chute sectlon 5 being secured at one end to the frame 1 and having the upper portion of asbestos or other non-inflammable mate-' rial, and to the lower end of which is $81 cured, by rings or other fastening means, the

chute section 6, to the lower end of which another section 6 is attached. The number of these sections is limited only by the heightof the building, enough being secured together to reach from the window where the device is attached to the ground. The lower ends of the chute sections are slotted at 7 so Patented Aug. 31 1909.

that they may be the more readily secured together, and adjacent thereto are the straps 8 having the rings 9-4) at their outer ends which are grasped by firemen or spectators to steady the device while persons are passing therethrough. Fixed to the inner end of the tongue 4 is a guide rope 10 which passes down through the inside of the chute and is grasped by the person in the chute to limit v the speed of his movement therethrough.

vice that will be a safe and efi'ective means When not in use the device is compactly folded, as shown in Fig. 2, and stored conveniently adjacent to the window, and is applied by throwing the chute out of the window and adjusting the frame 1 so that the arms 3 rest upon the top and inner edges of the window frame with the inner end of the tongue 4 also abutting against said frame, as shown in Fig. 3. The person then steps into the chute section 5 through the frame 1, grasping the rope 10 and passes down through the chute, governing his speed by said rope. It is presumed that at a fire where this device is used there will be some persons around the building, either firemen or spectators, who will grasp the rings 9 of the lower chute section and steady material.

The device is removed from the building from the outside by pulling upon the ropes 11 which slide through the rings 12 upon the underside of the several chutes, through the holes 13 in the lip 2, then through the hole 14 in the tongue 4, terminating and fastened to the frame 1 through the hole 15. It is apparent that by pulling on the ropes 11 the frame 1 is drawn along the tongue 4 away from the window frame, and after the arms 3 are released from said window frame the weight of the chute sections will pull the frame from the window sill and the same will drop to the ground by gravity.

There are minor changes and alterations that can be made within my invention, aside from those herein shown and suggested, and I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described; but: claim allthat falls fairly within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure byv Letters Patent,uis

1. In a fire escape, the combination with a frame; of arms connected therewith for separably securing said frame to the frame of" a' windowyatongue slidably mounted within said frame and arranged to abut against the sill of said window frame; a

flexible chute connected with said frame; a

rope connected'with said'tongue and passing a frame 1 having arms 3 connected there with for separably securing said frame to the frame of a window; of a tongue 4% slidabletherein and arranged to abut against the sill of said window frame; a flexible section 5 connected with said frame; a guide rope 10 passing through said chute and having connection with said frame; and a rope 11 passing through said tongue 4 and connected with said frame 1 in such a manner that by pulling on said rope the said frame will be moved on said tongue away from its engagement with said window frame substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MORRIS J. LIFSHITZ.

Vitnesses GEORGE E. HALL, FLonnNou H. MoNK. 

